205 Live is the best booked show in the WWE by far, and I like Raw/NXT.

 

The subtle slow building Lucha Party vs Tozawa/Itami feud is freaking great. The video packages building up the main events make you care about the guys. Squash matches. Hype for next week. Great matches too.

 

It's the best!

Two things:

 

(1) Styles is a go for Wrestlemania. I'm curious what others think about who should win at WM if he doesn't need time off. I think Styles should be the champion for the foreseeable future, but if he does need time off, I think a short Nakamura run is fine. I just can't see Nakamura working in that role for very long, especially when by default the top feud on Smackdown will be whatever involves Daniel Bryan.

 

(2) I think people who are looking at things like not wanting Bryan to wrestle anywhere else or wanting him at Wrestlemania or that they can clear him since the concussion lawsuit was dropped are not really following the story. No one directly involved in this or who has reported on it regularly has suggested anything more than that Dr. Maroon wouldn't clear him based on his medical history. Independently, Bryan sought medical opinions from experts in the field who not only cleared him, but were willing to go to bat for him. I do think this is one of those rare cases in wrestling where everything is actually on the up and up. The decisions were based on testing outcomes and the recommendations of expert physicians, and they cared more about his well being than business. Of course they don't want him going anywhere, but that doesn't seem to have been a factor in clearing him.

 

 

If the intention is to BERRY Matt Hardy and get across the message that they hate it... then why even have go so far as to give that much time to it and have a nice final match for that feud? It was cut on the Hulu version, yes, but if you watch the full episode, there's a good reason as to why that happened: it was the least consequential of all ongoing angles right now, at least when it comes to Wrestlemania. Let's see what we had (not sure if that was the exact order or if I got every single thing by memory, but it might be close), shall we?

 

If they were going to BERRY him, presumably by making him "Wild" Red Berry's long lost child, I think that could work. But it's a bummer that they buried him.

Bryan was fired twice? Unless one was a kayfabe one during the Alliance/Orton feud that Im blocking from my mind, the only one I know of was the legit one for choking Justin Roberts, with his own tie.

 

Or was not being a winner of that first season of NXT considered being fired?

He was under contract in 2000-2001 as a developmental guy, and they let him go then.

Two things:

 

(1) Styles is a go for Wrestlemania. I'm curious what others think about who should win at WM if he doesn't need time off. I think Styles should be the champion for the foreseeable future, but if he does need time off, I think a short Nakamura run is fine. I just can't see Nakamura working in that role for very long, especially when by default the top feud on Smackdown will be whatever involves Daniel Bryan.

 

(2) I think people who are looking at things like not wanting Bryan to wrestle anywhere else or wanting him at Wrestlemania or that they can clear him since the concussion lawsuit was dropped are not really following the story. No one directly involved in this or who has reported on it regularly has suggested anything more than that Dr. Maroon wouldn't clear him based on his medical history. Independently, Bryan sought medical opinions from experts in the field who not only cleared him, but were willing to go to bat for him. I do think this is one of those rare cases in wrestling where everything is actually on the up and up. The decisions were based on testing outcomes and the recommendations of expert physicians, and they cared more about his well being than business. Of course they don't want him going anywhere, but that doesn't seem to have been a factor in clearing him.

 

1. Im in two minds about this. I mean part of me feels they rushed Nakamura into a main event position after he went to the main roster but also I do feel that Nakamura needs to walk out with the title at Mania. Give him a strong push like his NXT run, where he could possibly hold the title till either Summerslam or Survivor Series.

 

2. The only thing that worries me about this is Bryan's contract ending in September and now they clear him. I think everyone know's he wants to wrestle and if WWE wont clear him he will wrestle on the indies but what if once he signs a new multi year deal they turn around and refuse to let him wrestle?

Dave has stated for a while that the only doctor who wouldn't clear him was Maroon. Is it cynical of me to make the connection that the only doctor to not clear him has ties with the two industries most aligned with CTE and concussion lawsuits, WWE and the NFL? Maybe. However it was getting to the point of ridiculousness that seemingly every other doctor and specialist Bryan went to not only cleared him but would mention his brain function was better than most men his age, yet Dr. Maroon was still sticking his fingers in his ears all "nah nah nah I can't hear you, still not cleared".

 

To me if you follow the chain of events it seems clear once Bryan made it clear he would leave when his deal ended to wrestle elsewhere if he wasn't cleared, it set the ball in motion. Vince knows that he would be a giant draw on the indies/Japan or whereever he wanted to go.

Hate to be the cynical one, but yeah. Just that. We'll see how it'll work out.

 

BTW, is Maroon the doctor whom CM Punk having a case against ?

No, that was Chris Amann.

Ok, thanks.

I don't know if it's being mentionned already, but the one true dream feud for the WWE audience right now : Daniel Bryan vs Braun Strowman. Forget everything else. This is the one.

I'd actually love to see Braun and D-Bry tagging together. Put them against a heel Shield.

Dave says Bryan was cleared on Monday Night.

 

Also, SD did its best number in 11 months last night

That's surprising to no one. Who knew all it took for SD to be interesting as a show was one of the biggest stars of his generation announcing he's cleared to compete after two years???

Dave says Bryan was cleared on Monday Night.

 

Also, SD did its best number in 11 months last night

 

Last weeks SD number also did it's best rating in the previous 11 months though, so this week really just built on that. Hard to say if Bryan really had much impact. This week went up four percent, but last week was already up seven percent.

I know everyone hates KO and Sami now, but god damn that show ending angle was great.

I know everyone hates KO and Sami now, but god damn that show ending angle was great.

 

That angle has gone from good to horrible and back so many times that it's been difficult to even care but the last two weeks of angles have really taken it to the next level. Like all the stuff with AJ was awful, wheel-spinning filler. I think things would have been much better if the thing hadn't been dragging on for so many months while they waited for Mania/Bryan to be cleared. The waiting game with Bryan's health also meant there was no set end goal too, which didn't help the meandering.

 

Just letting them be vicious heels instead of goofballs turns out to have been the better approach. Who'da thunk?

Yep it's clear now that they kept the wheels spinning in the mud for so long because they were unsure if Bryan was going to be cleared or not. I'm sure this was the plan since at least the beginning of the year but they had to play the waiting game

Zayn has really found himself as a heel in a way that I can't say I expected. The way he is overly expressive and talks with his hands is something I can't figure out if he's doing for heat or if it's just how he talks (or both), but I love it. The segment was magic in a way wrestling of any era rarely is.

Owens slowly going more and more crazy was great too. "YOU DID THIS!"

 

To me if you follow the chain of events it seems clear once Bryan made it clear he would leave when his deal ended to wrestle elsewhere if he wasn't cleared, it set the ball in motion. Vince knows that he would be a giant draw on the indies/Japan or whereever he wanted to go.

With Vince it's the fact that Bryan would easily go back on the Indies for less money rather than being one of the top paid guys on the roster with a top spot. I'm sure he has a hand full or two of guys he wants to have programs with in WWE but there's probably more outside of WWE

Owens slowly going more and more crazy was great too. "YOU DID THIS!"

I'm not sure if it's because I strongly dislike KO, but I feel like he's done this shouty, screamy acting throughout his whole career, "YOU DID THIS" included.

 

I am sure he's done this to either Zayn, Jericho, or both.

Dave has stated for a while that the only doctor who wouldn't clear him was Maroon. Is it cynical of me to make the connection that the only doctor to not clear him has ties with the two industries most aligned with CTE and concussion lawsuits, WWE and the NFL? Maybe. However it was getting to the point of ridiculousness that seemingly every other doctor and specialist Bryan went to not only cleared him but would mention his brain function was better than most men his age, yet Dr. Maroon was still sticking his fingers in his ears all "nah nah nah I can't hear you, still not cleared".

 

To me if you follow the chain of events it seems clear once Bryan made it clear he would leave when his deal ended to wrestle elsewhere if he wasn't cleared, it set the ball in motion. Vince knows that he would be a giant draw on the indies/Japan or whereever he wanted to go.

 

I really hope they don't refuse to let Bryan wrestle again when he re signs in september.

 

To me if you follow the chain of events it seems clear once Bryan made it clear he would leave when his deal ended to wrestle elsewhere if he wasn't cleared, it set the ball in motion. Vince knows that he would be a giant draw on the indies/Japan or whereever he wanted to go.

 

With Vince it's the fact that Bryan would easily go back on the Indies for less money rather than being one of the top paid guys on the roster with a top spot. I'm sure he has a hand full or two of guys he wants to have programs with in WWE but there's probably more outside of WWE

Eh. WWE is so loaded right now, though. He’s going to have plenty of people to have great matches with. It’s not like he’s staying with WWF to work Mabel and Diesel.

 

 

To me if you follow the chain of events it seems clear once Bryan made it clear he would leave when his deal ended to wrestle elsewhere if he wasn't cleared, it set the ball in motion. Vince knows that he would be a giant draw on the indies/Japan or whereever he wanted to go.

With Vince it's the fact that Bryan would easily go back on the Indies for less money rather than being one of the top paid guys on the roster with a top spot. I'm sure he has a hand full or two of guys he wants to have programs with in WWE but there's probably more outside of WWE

Eh. WWE is so loaded right now, though. He’s going to have plenty of people to have great matches with. It’s not like he’s staying with WWF to work Mabel and Diesel.

 

 

The match I most want to see out of any is Bryan vs Reigns tbh

Man... does anyone do emotional speeches better than Dragon? His farewell from ROH, his retirement, and now this one.

 

I thought the segment with Zayn and Owens was lights out. I loved it. Dragon looked like he could jump back into being the best wrestler in the world over night in a pair of jeans. I am assuming this is going to ultimately lead to a Dragon/Shane vs Sami/KO match at mania, which on Bryan's name alone might become the biggest and most anticipated match on the card.

 

That said, I am also not on the anti-KO/Zayn train. I think they have been booked poorly, but I think they generally elevate just about everything they are a part of. Even when the angle they are part of is stale I generally see them as pulling the most out of what they are given rather than the cause of it being pulled down. That is neither here nor there.

 

Honestly though, this is probably the most stacked mania on paper ever and it is likely going to ADD a Daniel Bryan return match, which is nuts. I know it wont go last, but am I crazy to think this would automatically become the biggest, hottest match on the show? Styles/Nak is the only thing I think the crowd might be as hot for, but I think even that will come up short of the excitement for Bryan.